Microsoft Flight Simulator System Requirements Revealed

Today, Microsoft revealed the system requirements for its upcoming game flight sim game and they are humongous.

[iplay1up2]

This game should be amazing! For a sim that is. This is one reason I may go with Series X. Still going to wait and see what Sony has coming for PS5 launch.

The launch window games will be my deciding factor. Both new consoles are going to be powerful. I also hope Sony's new console doesn't sound like a plane taking off! My OG Xbox One is not too loud, and my X1X is whisper quite! My Playstation is loud when running demanding games.

[Godmars290]

And yet this is an article about PC specs...

[CaptainHenry916]

Lol I know right

[Godmars290]

@CaptainHenry916:
Though, given said PC spec requirements, gotta wonder how the game is going to run on console. XB1 or Series X.

@iplay1up2:
"The launch window games will be my deciding factor. Both new consoles are going to be powerful."

Yet Series X focus will largely be on ports for its first few years, from the XB1 and PC, where even early PS5 titles will be made with the PS5 in mind if not the singular focus. This has been a significant point since PS2 days, yet the Xbox fan crowd have only ignored it. Been only about power when power "is not all that".

@Daymboi:
Hasn't stopped Xbox fanboys from gushing over everything Xbox. Reason why they've also become ever more defensive when said "everything Xbox" fails to deliver. Was just an empty promise if not a rumor started by an Xbox fan in - at best - hope to inspire MS because that's how bad things have gotten.

And iplay1up2 isn't talking about a something he owns, he's talking about something he wants to own. In an article only remotely about what he wants to own as justification for getting it.

[CaptainHenry916]

@Daymboi

You're the one that brought up Sony in this article not me. This is actually a PC article and I also own a game PC.

[RookieMonsterLives]

It is about PC but it is also available on Xbox as well so maybe he is a console only gamer looking to play this game. What is wrong with him saying he is excited for Xbox Series X to play this game?

[timotim]

We know the sim is coming to consoles though. I took his comment to mean he is more of a console gamers thats anticipating the game. I personally think SX is going to make this game soar (pun intended). 2080 levels of GPU power paired with the Velocity Architecture that most PCs won't even be able to do.

[--Onilink--]

To be honest, early PS4 games other than killzone were not exactly mind blowing on a technical level either (and gameplay wise it probably wasnt until Ratchet and Bloodborne that the trend of really good exclusives started). Same with Xbox, Ryse was the best looking early game but it was decent at best at everything else

No one, regardless of console should really be expecting a whole bunch of great exclusives in the 12-18 months. Maybe 1 or 2 has been the norm, since many launch games usually have to compromise to reach the deadline (infamous’s sub par side missions/content for example)

[Godmars290]

@Onilink:
"early PS4 games other than killzone were not exactly mind blowing on a technical level"

The thing is that launch titles set a bar that later games try to exceed and raise further. Knack as much as Killzone is why Horizon Zero Dawn and the new God of War are what they are. It shows that Sony is trying.

[NeoGamer232]

Yes, you are 100% right, but looking at the PC Specs, it is obvious that neither of the XBO models can really handle this game. Therefore this will be a pure next gen title. Which explains why MS is only doing PC version right now.

[Obscure_Observer]

"And yet this is an article about PC specs..."

True. Informative as well. Let´s wait and see how many "Elite PC gamers" will playing the best version on their imaginary PCs vs Xbox Series X.

[Godmars290]

@NeoGamer232:
And yet MS has mandated that every MS game can be played on every MS platform. Doesn't really make sense for them to make an exception for such a high-profile title, only to make one and have it be PC over their own console. even the next gen one.

[ProjectVulcan]

An i5 8400 and RX590 is not a humongous spec requirement but it's still faster than Xbox One X. It's basically a mid range PC at best in 2020.

Current gen Xbox consoles are going to suck with this game, their CPUs will surely inhibit the kind of streaming performance this game will demand for the best quality assets.

This is going to be one game best played on PC, any good PC really just for the complex controls alone.

[Bruh]

I don't even think you're going to get the detailed topography on the base Xbox One, maybe the One X. This game is going to run like poop on the OG Xbox One

[Obscure_Observer]

@ProjectVulcan

"This is going to be one game best played on PC, any good PC really just for the complex controls alone."

There will be FAR more Xbox gamers playing the best version of Flight Simulator on Series X consoles than elite hardcore PC gamers. That´s for sure.

Xbox consoles supports K&M, so complexx contrrols shouldn´t be a issue.

[ProjectVulcan]

Obscure_Observer 'There will be FAR more Xbox gamers playing the best version of Flight Simulator on Series X'

Haha no, there won't. Firstly Series X is going to be a very expensive console, and expensive consoles sell slowly. Especially in an economic recession.

Consoles gamers always whine about cost constantly, but PC gamers accept their investments. It is going to take at least an entire year after launch before Series X surpasses 10m sales. If it sells well. Xbox One didn't. So you're already taking 2022 in a best case scenario.

Newsflash- Nvidia ALREADY sold 15 million RTX graphics cards since launch 18 months ago, in addition to whatever they sell the next six months. There are no low end RTX cards. They start mid range and go up. Then whatever they sell of their brand new next gen cards BEFORE Series X launches, and the millions of other high end GTX1000 series cards they shifted years before that.

This doesn't even take into account AMD's GPU sales either.

Finally we know the flight sim crowd is on PC, have their setups for PC, their controllers, the entire mod scene and community is on PC. It simply doesn't exist at all on console. People will prepare their PC for this game, not wait for a console and a comical console controller as if that is the best experience with this type of game.

Ultimately then you're a bit thick. Series X won't have the best version, won't have the most amount of dedicated players and it won't have a core user base anything like the size as high end PC gaming, literally ever.

By the time it passes 30m unit sales it'll be at least 2023 and now midrange PC hardware, at best. It actually took Xbox One four entire years from launch to pass this figure, so I have been kind and assumed Series X will sell way better even though chances are it won't when Microsoft ask $600 or whatever for it.

Suck it up for a dose of reality.

[rainslacker]

MSFS is one of those games that appeals to a rather wide range of demographics and people. It has consistently had a rather extensive following on PC, and not all those people are what we would call gamers.

Most people are going to be playing this on PC, because that's where it has it's roots, and that's where most people who aren't gamers are going to be able to access it.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most console gamers, may not even realize what MSFS is like, and may not actually realize that it literally is just flying a plane. Nothing to shoot. No crazy flying. No game play scenarios. It's what is a true sim, and I think if people don't realize that going in, they're actually probably going to be disappointed if they're looking for a game to play.

It does provide a challenge in it's own way, but it is what it is.

Meanwhile, in Obscures world, he thinks that people are going to be buying up XSX to play this game, when there is absolutely no reason to. Many people who play this, are not looking for the best experience, nor are they likely to drop may hundreds of dollars on the hardware to do it. They'll play it on the hardware they already have, because again, they aren't gamers.

[Dark-soul]

I will get both, because life is to short to skip some master pieces, though i like playstation more, but after i seen this sim and when ms bought studio ninja theory i just have to buy xbox also

[n1kki6]

This is about the PC. Where most flight sim enthusiasts play with full sim cockpits.

[rainslacker]

I don't think most console gamers realize that when MS calls this a Sim, it's an actual Sim, and not really a game. Not a sim in the sense that Gran Turismo is a sim, but an actual sim. Like, you could use it as practice to learn how to fly a plane....at least partially.

I'm getting it on PC, although it looks like I might finally have to upgrade my GPU. Always been a fan of MSFS, and I already have a HOTAS from AC7.

[Obscure_Observer]

@rainslacker

"I'm getting it on PC, although it looks like I might finally have to upgrade my GPU. Always been a fan of MSFS, and I already have a HOTAS from AC7."

Lol. So Phil Spencer has a videogame that actually has you interested? In PC gaming? Upgrade your GPU? Wow!

So much for "MS doesn´t have AAA appealing games" or "I don´t know any person on PC excited about an Xbox game".

Well, you´re. XD

"I don't think most console gamers realize that when MS calls this a Sim, it's an actual Sim, and not really a game."

Oh, they do. It´s not like decades ago when we use to goin blind buying videogames. Welcome to the internet.

[rainslacker]

Yeah, I'll upgrade my GPU. Something I should have done instead of buying a X1 this gen. Would have brought me much more benefit. It's something I keep meaning to do, but I never really have much justification.
I may even build a new PC, because mine is fairly old, although PC's haven't changed much outside the GPU.
On top of that, my HOTAS doesn't work on X1, and likely won't work on XSX, so why would I bother playing it on Xbox? I'm certainly not going to drop another $200 on a flight stick.

And yeah, I guess Spencer did make something I want. Even if he had nothing to do with it, and this was just MS deciding to push out a new version of the game since the other one has been going by the wayside, I will get this. I never said Spencer wasn't capable of making something, only that he took his damn time doing it, and spent more time talking about it than actually doing it. So, maybe stop putting words in my mouth, because I have always made it clear it was their lack of quantity, and more so, what they have been bringing out in the AAA space over the last 5 years hasn't appealed to me, with the exception of Forza. On top of that, I have never actually talked shit about their AAA games, because I don't think they're bad games, just generally don't appeal to me.

"It´s not like decades ago when we use to goin blind buying videogames."

Really? because until this was coming to Xbox, I have never once seen a single console gamer discussing MSFS for consoles, wanting it on consoles, or even knowing what it was. I mean, I've been playing this series since it was vector graphics on a 386. It has a strong PC community, one that I used to be fairly active in, but most of them were not console gamers. Since this was announced, I've seen people act like this is an actual game, and hyping it up as if it's a game. They refer to it as a game. They say that it's going to be a great game. It also continue to make it to games list...often from you in fact. So on and so forth.

I'm happy if you like the series, but knowing you, I think your only real interest in this is because it gives you another title to keep adding to your frequent games list. You can't talk about a single MS game without the first thing coming out of your mouth being how the XSX is going to be the best place to play it, and how MS is going to rule them all.

Even now you're using it as some sort of huge win for the Xbox, and that all these real gamers are going to be playing it on the XSX, when really, it's once again, only the Xbox fan boys who seem to be making this into something more than it is. The MSFS community I've checked back on here and there seems excited about it, but most of them aren't talking about it as an Xbox or MSGS game. Just that it's a new MSFS. Completely different perspective.

[SwampthingsSon]

LOL! N4G read the first positive thing you said about Xbox and the first negative thing you said about PlayStation and insta-spammed the negative vote. Classic fanboy syndrome.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

Maybe off topic has something to do with it? The hint is in the title. Very sensitive to some up and down arrows. Classic insecurity.

[fr0sty]

If launch window games are what you are going to base your choice on, it'll be an easy choice considering that no first party games will be available for X at launch, and not for a long time after, either.

[Obscure_Observer]

@fr0sty

Oh it will.

Halo Infinite, Forza 8, and some surpring titles.

[yoshatabi]

Why are you talking about consoles on a article related to PC?

[Fishy Fingers]

Would be nice if they provided guidelines of what res/frame rate you can expect from each level.

[rlow1]

Not surprised by the specs. Have they announced VR support? This game is just begging for it. Once again, looks simply amazing.

[Father__Merrin]

Minimum:
OS: Windows 10 (Nov 2019 update)
CPU: Ryzen 3 1200/Intel i5-4460
GPU: Radeon RX 570/NVIDIA GTX 770
VRAM: 2GB
RAM: 8GB
HDD: 150GB
Bandwidth: 5Mbps

Recommended:
OS: Windows 10 (Nov 2019 update)
CPU: Ryzen 5 1500X/Intel i5-8400
GPU: Radeon RX 590/NVIDIA GTX 970
VRAM: 4GB
RAM: 16GB
HDD: 150GB
Bandwidth: 20Mbps

Ideal:
OS: Windows 10 (Nov 2019 update)
CPU: Ryzen 7 Pro 2700X/ Intel i7-9800X
GPU: Radeon VII/NVIDIA RTX 2080
VRAM: 8GB
RAM: 32GB
SSD: 150GB
Bandwidth: 50Mbps

[CDbiggen]

My man. Cheers.

[CaptainHenry916]

My PC has an Intel I7-9700K and RTX 2070 super edition let's see what this baby can do.

[frostypants]

....................cool.

[Obscure_Observer]

I think it will manage 4K/30 at high settings.

Now that I know the specs, I´m definelly be playing the best version on SX.

[CaptainHenry916]

@Obscure_observer

Don't know yet. I'm sure It will run in 60fps on high settings depending on what I scale down and turn off but probably won't run in Ultra settings. I'm waiting for the new GPU'S to come out so I can upgrade. That's the beauty of PC you can always the GPU

[CaptainHenry916]

*upgrade the GPU*

[ProjectVulcan]

The best version will be on PC. that much is certain.

[CaptainHenry916]

@Shaggy

My PC came with that GPU installed already but that's not the GPU I prefer. I'm waiting for the next line of GPU"s because I know they will be a lot better and more powerful than the upcoming console's. You can't go wrong with a high end PC if you can afford it

[l33t_haxx0r]

im sure the 12 people who buy this will really enjoy it

[Psychotica]

lol..that's a pretty ignorant statement. There are numerous people waiting for this, just as there are still numerous people still playing the last one.

[CaptainHenry916]

I'm getting it on Windows game pass. I wouldn't pay 60 dollars for this game imo.

[Movefasta1993]

You have to remember it's not just gamers who will buy this game

[l33t_haxx0r]

I was referring to the 12 gamers lol In sure it will sell a lot to enthusiasts but not many gamers will buy I think.

[Godmars290]

Think the true point is that not everyone is going to be "buying" MS games: they'll be getting Game Pass. Twelve people might actually end up buying it.

Again: MS doesn't want people to buy their games, don't want them buying games on any MS related platform, they want them paying for subscriptions.

[timotim]

@Godmars

I done heard it all lol. Microsoft provides gamers multiple ways to get at their games and leaves it up to the gamer to determine the best way according to his or her own situation. Could be retail, could be digital, could be subscription, could be PC, could be console, could be streaming, could be mobile...its up to the individual. Where the hell did you get that Microsoft doesn't want you buying there games on there platform??? Sounds like some stuff you just made up for argument sake haha. Don't go extreme buddy.

@Haxx0r
You you realize that the "sim racer" wasn't always a thing? Before then, the most popular racers were arcade racing games. However, sim racers would go on to become huge...this sim has the potential to turn gamers into flight sim lovers. This game is going to be big.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Godmars290]

@timotim:
Subscription, as the most appealing option with day-one releases coming to it, is the option that they're pushing. Should it become popular it along with digital becomes the reason for physical media. Just like Steam has made physical PC games non-existent.

Subscription is a back-step from always online but is still going in the same direction.

[timotim]

@Godmars

Incorrect. Again, what is the more appealing option is up to the individual and that will be based off there own situations. There's no way you can universally say which of the many options Microsoft is providing gamers is the best for everyone. And no, They are pushing ALL options, not just subscriptions...Team Xbox would be just as happy if one bought there game at retail vs subscribed to there service...either way, that person would be in there ecosystem...which is there main goal.

[rainslacker]

"I done heard it all lol"

Oh yeah? So you heard that Alaska is the most eastern, western, and northern state in the union, or that Betty White is older than sliced bread?

[Obscure_Observer]

"Again: MS doesn't want people to buy their games, don't want them buying games on any MS related platform, they want them paying for subscriptions."

I think MS forgot to remove the "buy" option on Gamepass. S/

[mixelon]

Gamers = people who play games.

If they’re excited by, and are going to sink hours into this.. they’re gamers. Just a different subset of gamers to you or I.

[l33t_haxx0r]

but isn't this not really a game? more of an educational simulator aimed for people who are learning to fly as well as those who enjoy it as an hobby?? Wasn't the original idea of this franchise to showcase graphics every time there is a leap in technology? I assume its just the same now I could be wrong but I will still stand by not many copies being sold

[timotim]

@Haxx0r

"more of an educational simulator aimed for people who are learning to fly as well as those who enjoy it as an hobby??"

Cant the same be said for a racing sim? If you just remove the word "fly" and replace it with "drive" then we could be talking about a game like GTS, right?

[rainslacker]

Except, this isn't actually a game. It's a simulator. They aren't the same thing. Games are a type of simulation, but not all simulators are games.

Biggest key difference is that a game has to provide a challenge to overcome which leads to a win lose scenario, presumably for the purpose of fun and/or entertainment, or in the case of any Souls game, torturing the player.

If you lose in MSFS, you pretty much crashed the plane, or maybe violated international airspace, or parked your plane in someone's garage.

Maybe they added some challenges to it to give it some game play scenarios. There were some expansions and mods for older MSFS releases which did this.

Racing sims are more forgiving, and tend not to be blazing accurate on many factors that involve driving, physics, or rules to abide by. They often follow general rules for many racing circuits, but most racing games that call themselves sims, aren't actually simulators...even the one who's main tagline has been that it's "The Real Driving Simulator", Gran Turismo. The creator wanted to do that, but found that it wasn't a fun game.

MSFS is a very accurate flight simulator, and is very well respected in it's class. But it's a very dry experience, and while some people still love that kind of challenge, calling it a game isn't really accurate.

[frostypants]

The Flight Simulator series has been one of the most successful entertainment software series on the market since the early 1980s...it's freaking legendary. Where've you been?

[l33t_haxx0r]

I give up lol, the defense force has come out, and I bet none of them purchase this game.

[timotim]

@Haxx0r

Thats actually the best thing you've said in this thread thus far. How many people bought Dreams or Death Stranding??? Not every game is going to be for everyone...we all understand this. For those who don't buy it, their will be Game Pass. It will be fine.

[rainslacker]

Not sure where they still stand, but there used to be a huge community for this series on PC.

[windblowsagain]

This really shouldn't be labeled as game tbh, It's a Flight Sim.

Maybe it's fun for some people who want to mess about. This really is for people that just Loves planes and want to practice and fly where ever. It'll sell well on PC though.

[timotim]

I hear that, but look at games like GT Sport...many of its fans call it a serious simulator as an example. If you can have a racing sim, then you can have a flight sim just the same.

[Bruh]

GT Sport is def more realistic than most other racing games, but it def is not as hardcore of a simulator as Flight Sim is in the realm of plane flying. Comparing apples to oranges

[timotim]

@Bruh
Apples to Oranges? I don't think so. Maybe you should check out the video I've been posting in this very thread...it will have tons of customization options for gamers to increase approachability. They understand not everyone is studying to be a pilot haha. But to me its the same because this is just the start. This sim will be opened up to a whole new wave of gamers that could potentially become lovers of the genre.

[chronoforce]

GT and Forza et al try to simulate driving in the specific context of motor sports which is a bit different than trying to simulate driving by itself. GT sport is really not a driving sim analogous to flight sim.

[rainslacker]

It provides a different kind of challenge than what you'd find in what we typically call games. Some people like that sort of thing. Quite a few do actually.

[yoshatabi]

Sims are games....

[timotim]

This game is one of the best games visually I have ever seen! Microsoft should really think about buying Asobo if they haven't done so already and I'm really hoping that the next Forza Motorsport title uses a very similar approach in design.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[FanboysKiller]

I'm gonna vote for my wallet, not gonna lie about sony's games going to pc like somehow it started to make sense when it wasn't with xbox games , I think being biased gonna result in wasting money on the wrong place, pc + xbox series x seems to be fair with next gen.

[ChunkyHD]

GTX 970 Recommended?
That's fair enough, my rig which i built back in 2014 has that with 16GB of ram. Although the i'd probably need to upgrade because of the CPU required.
Other than the "Ideal" specs, which i imagine is to max everything, it's quite reasonable.

[Sophisticated_Chap]

Nice, I have the ideal specs :D

[yoshatabi]

Same! :)

[FlyingFoxy]

Well, that's 1 game that already passed next gen console specifications.

[whitbyfox]

Game of the year. Without question. Only reason i’m getting a Series X. Looks like it’s so tall because it’s the control tower for this game.

[lex-1020]

"The ideal requirements are sure to make your eyes water with 32GBs of RAM and 50 Mbps of "

50 Mbps of what? Obviously, it's talking about network speed but you forgot a word there.

[TheOptimist]

Ahhh thanks.... Must have missed it in the edit copy smhhhhhhh

[TengHu]

So glad I made the Recommended requirements 🙌🏾

[yoshatabi]

Hells yeah I'll be able to run it in ideal performance